Regardless of one’s religious background, it is hard to not give in to the festivities of Christmas, especially the lavish spread that friends and families lay out. The cherry on top is of course the Christmas cake. And what better way to bring in the celebration than with cakes baked by other homemakers, retaining the personal touch that one might not find in store bought fares.
Capitalising on this trend are other foodies in Bangalore, from professional chefs to homemakers and entrepreneurs. Ebenezer Ephraim and his wife Hannah Victoria, decided to sell homemade Christmas cakes with black currents, raisins, golden glace cherries and so on, two weeks ago. While Ephraim is an executive chef and handles the baking aspect, his wife manages the marketing section. She said, “He’s very passionate about cooking and has been doing it for 12 years. We’ve been baking for friends and families and they suggested that we explore other options as well.” Positive feedback from close acquaintances and family seems to be the driving force for many such bakers.
Sai Priya, who started Lady’s Phinger three months ago, was similarly encouraged by fans of her traditional cooking.
She experiments with her food and says that her whole sweet jaggery cake with organic ingredients has been a big hit with the health conscious. “People who generally prefer vegan cakes splurge on plum cakes during Christmas, since they have guests over for celebrations,” said Priya, who quit her job to focus on her true passion, cooking. Apart from cakes, whose fruits are soaked in brandy for a month, her minced pies and apple pies are other favourites for Christmas brunch.
Michelle Gafoor, a children’s dressmaker, has been baking solely during Christmas season for the last seven to eight years. “I wasn’t going to do it again because my father passed away this year. But I got so many orders from regulars that I had to give in. My friends complain that in my own house I serve the burnt cakes I don’t sell,” she chuckled. A tradition suggested by her father, she and her mother now bake 300 kgs of cake in total during December. Her plum cake includes rum soaked sugared fruits, dry fruits, orange peel and walnuts. “The richer the cake, the better,” she said.